“We’re going to continue doing what I have been doing the last four-plus years, working hard for Alaska on many fronts,” Begich says. “And at the end of the day voters will decide on have we done a good job and have we delivered for Alaska.”

He adds: “Obviously, I’m biased; I think the answer is yes.”

Republicans, who need to gain six seats to win Senate control, will try to spend the next year and a half arguing that the answer is actually “no.”

Not that their job will be easy.